Writing a Dinner Menu for Guests: The Menu, their selection options, tips, advice and ideas.

I love to cook. But I don't always have time. I have found tho that staying on top of these at home chef skills help me keep my edge both in my business and as a mom.

Here is a recent selection I put together for a meeting of friends at my home. After getting any food allergies and cultural preferences down, I pulled from my repertoire of everyday yummy meals I can easily kick up to fancy.

My friend who knew both guests helped me make some selections.

I always offer a meat and a fish. Sides are usually vegetarian to appease anyone eating light or vegetarian. I don't tend to serve basic salads (lettuce and veggies) unless its our summer block party and I'm feeding 50+ people. 

My little secret: everyone thinks I worked all day and magically whipped together a multi course meal in 2 hours. That's Not the case. 

"Black beans are rinsed and simmered in onions, garlic and peppers, or my homemade frozen cubes of sofrito."

My soups can be made ahead, up to 2 days (and taste better if the flavors meld over at least a day).

Meats can marinate a day ahead, and be popped in the over with little handling. Or a slow cooker will do the trick with pulled pork or braised beef dishes.

I love fresh ingredients- but I am a mom, who works. So i have learned how to freshen canned goods. Black beans are rinsed and simmered in onions, garlic and peppers, or my homemade frozen cubes of sofrito. Beets get sliced and a squeeze of lime. Mandarins don't need extra love because they absorb the flavors they are presented with. This also goes for pre-sliced servings or shredded carrots versus my doing the sou chef work. Nearly everything can be bought convenient style. Butternut squash, comes frozen and cubed - easy peezy goodness.

In this same tone, raw ingredients are served fresh, always. Fresh bread- greek style is excellent for table service. With that our local market has Amish and Polish butter where the flavor comes thru in every schmear. Soften butter at room temp for 15 mins before serving. A fancy plate and butter knife helps make it appealing.

"Fresh bread- greek style is excellent for table service. With that our local market has Amish and Polish butter where the flavor comes thru in every schmear. "

Desserts like flan are a make ahead must, needing time to cool. And bought ice cream is easily topped with frozen fruits and sugar, heated in a sauce pan for an easy compote!

Starters of course can be slices before guests arrive. I save time by opening all my cheese packages in advance and store in an air tight container. That saves 15-20 minutes easily when guest arrival is approaching. The same goes for rinsing grapes when they arrive at home. Get it done and forget it. (Also dried fruits can replace fresh, so I always have a bag in the pantry just in case.) these time savers let you have those extra moments for pouring wine and resting as you wait for guests.

So now: Open container, slice cheeses, arrange pre-washed fruit. Replace in container and display. Open crackers, pour into basket. Done. Wine please.

Dinner for the Great Meeting: 

Hows arrival around 4:30? 

These are my specialties. Happy Selecting. 

Dinner Served Family Style

Starters:

- Cheeses, grapes, and baguette slices and those target crackers ;-)

Table Starter:

- Red Beets and Spinach salad with mandarins and a balsamic reduction.

Pick a Soup: (served with Greek Bread and Polish Butter)

- cup of soup: corn chowder w or w out shrimp 

- OR Butternut squash

- or seafood soup (sopa de mariscos).

Babcias Pierogi will be served w sour cream.

Pick 1 an additional entree...:

French-ish

- Shrimp Creole: shrimp saute in red tomatoe sauce with veggies and creole -not spicy- seasoning. Served over white Jasmine Rice. Siraha sauce or tabasco on the side.

Mexican Style -

- Fajitas with lotsa of veggies mixed peppers, onions. And served with a variety plate of seared steak, chicken and shrimp.

Toppings on table: sour cream, cheese (fresco or cojito), cilantro, etc.

Or Soft shell Tilapia Tacos.

Same toppings as above.

Guatemala:

Tostadas Guate style - a make your own fun light meal.

Make your own tostada; Layer onto a Crispy tortillas:

1. 1 spoon of this Veggie base: red beets, carrots, green beans, diced and cooked.

2. toppings at the table: ground beef, onions (raw), mexican cojito or fresco cheese, boiles egg slices, lime weges, sour cream.

3. Sauces: dallop of tabasco, horseradish, (even wasabi - not true to the original dish).

3. Enjoy over a plate! 

Homemade Salsa, with our Garden Red Japanese and Yellow Tomatoes.
This day I served it up with scrambled eggs. Fresh. Easy! 

Pick your 1 starch and 1 veggie:

- Baked rosemary garlic red potatoes (or fingerlings if I can find them!)

- green beans sauteed & lightly breaded,

- tri-color carrots in sweet glaze

- black beans and rice (Puerto Rican Style, made with a homemade sofrito base).

*if you pick tostada I recommend rice, and black beans will be served on the side. Tostada really is an all in one kind of meal.

Desserts

- Drink: Eisewine (Icewine) and Djadeks (grandpas) wine

Small servings of a variety of: 

- Homemade Flan

- Homemade Crepes with Nutella or Butter and Sugar

- or custard ice cream served with a compote fruit reduction, berry mix. Or mango.

- expresso, or americano, served with pan warmed milk (light froth) for  coffees or blooming flower green tea.

         ### 

Can't wait to see what you pick!!

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Snipets of what I say to keep up with our manners (and our sanity) Mom-isms

Mom of two boys and baby girl...OMG. I've reverted too quick comments, and getting POSITIVE words in where I can to make sure were following our manners...often. I try to say what I want the resulting behaviour to be. And keeping up with positive words instead of "no, stop it, don't do that," I try: "do this..., say it like this..., please try...," and (my favorite) "you have to earn it."

Use your words.

Yes they'll sometimes scream or argue, but I encourage them to control their emotion and then label how they feel..."how did it make you feel when your brother screamed...do you like how it feels when you are mean?...please ask for candy, do not grab." And say what they desire, from the spiderman action figure to ice cream..."please use your words...no screaming because I can't hear you...Please ask...please share." and tell them often what they did right "you were very good today,...well behaved, ...nice gentleman or this IS how a gentleman acts."

However I do NOT allow back talk, sassyness or inappropriate sarcasm. They'll hear: "please DO NOT talk to me that way... That was rude, say "I won't say that again Mom."

Showing Love

"Good job...Let's talk about that later (after the meltdown, it helps prevent a meltdown, and sometimes you can discuss when they are more calm)...Keep your hands on your own body...Show me how (to do that)...Kiss your brain...your smart cause You work hard...your sick because you have a Bug in your tummy...Give me a hug... No one kissed me today..." And when my nearly one year old babies started moving around and grabbing everything in sight, I would take the object away gently and say "thank you, thank you!" "No" was saved for dangerous situations like trying to stand in the high-chair.

I say "I Love You" all the time. "Good Morning. I Love You." "When picking up the kids from school, "I missed you today," and I"ll whisper in their ear, "I Love You." "You ate your whole lunch, the sandwich, the ant sticks (celery with peanut butter and raisins) and drank your water! Yaay!!" Big hug, followed by "I Love You."

Manners

"You forgot to say the magic word...that's not how a gentleman acts...go fart in the bathroom...ask to be excused (from the table)...say I'm sorry when you wrong someone...tell someone to "stop it" when they hurt you...use your napkin...I've told you enough to stop (insert X behaviour), now you need to earn your (insert next favorite activity on the schedule, from ice cream to bedtime book) and LET THEM EARN IT!! ...say "Good Game"...I can't see you I can't hear you...I'm in the bathroom, it's private time (when that doesnt' work, "whatever you have to say can wait!") please don't talk to me in that way....ask nicely...say please/ thank you." also I expect my kids to use titles when speaking to/about adults. Don't say Him, "you say Dad, not him."or "Who is she? Mrs. So an so?."

Participate

Tickle fights, snuggle and watch a 20 minute cartoon together, eat dinner together, ..."get me a diaper please, ...I want to play a board game, who's joining me? ...please come say hi to the baby, she missed you today... I love how you are playing nice together...show me 5 (5 minute warning)... Let your brother win, sometimes...sing: clean up time, clean up time, everybody clean up time (mom or dad help too)...keep your hands on your own body...please flush the toilet." "Let's go wash our hands." And when my older son decided to stop after the bathroom hand washing I'd say "it's like eating/playing with pee and poop on our hands ... Do you want that?" He'd ruuuuuun to wash up.

Eat Right

Veggies, fruits, breads, cheese, yogurts.... its about making better choices, understanding portions and when to splurge on a treat! "No cookies today....the tooth fairy wouldn't like that treat...what time is it now? yes, breakfast time. and when do we get candy? Yes, candy is after lunch...in the summer/ have as many Popsicles as you want, after lunch...who's having a snack...I'm having some tea, would you like some?...it's time for a mini scoop (of ice cream)."

Understand Hard Work

To us adults putting toys away is "EZ" - but to a kid it can be complicated and overwhelming. Just like if they fall and scrape their knee, yes they will be OKAY. But first we should acknowledge that they are hurt, and falling down may have been scary. Along these same lines, Say "yes that (whatever they did) was hard (for them!)... That was hard, gimmie five! ... look how many tries that took.... we have to do homework because we are learning to learn... Practice because we do it wrong 100x's and right on the 101st... it looks easy for mom, but it was hard for me once too" (kids don't want to feel they can't accomplish something, and don't want to feel under valued if it's too easy).

"If its not on the list, we don't buy it." this avoids the cries for toys and candy... But occasionally candy and ice cream DO make the list because, after all, they're only kids for a short time! As for spending their own money I offer my advice and opinion to them. But as long as the toy doesn't affect out "rules:" it's safe and doesn't affect their health, they can spend their own money. Look, if they make a mistake, and a bad purchase, that's the best way to learn - for themselves. Kids haven't learned yet that cheap toys break quickly, etc.

Go Outside

Run, jump, fall down, play, ask to play tag with new kids, go say "Hi, my name is," get dirty then come in and learn how to get clean...."outside song: line up, line up, line up, its time to go outside...pee on the other side of the tree...please check for cars...ring the doorbell ONE time, don't yell...say please....check your hands for microbugs...did you use soap?..ask if they wanna play tag...clean up time equals going outside."


These are all ways they learn to be men (and a lady) later in life. I hope they remember these phrases with love and intention.